Lecturers, click here to request an e-inspection copy of this text This new edition of Lyn Richards' best-selling book provides an accessible introduction to qualitative research for students and practitioners. Recognizing that for many new researchers dealing with data is the main point of departure, this book helps them to acquire a progressive understanding of the skills and methodological issues that are central to qualitative research. Lyn Richards provides clear and pragmatic guidance on how to handle, reflect on and get results from small amounts of data, while at the same time showing how a consideration of methods and their philosophical underpinnings informs how we should best handle our data. This book also covers all the processes of making, meeting, sorting, coding, documenting and exploring qualitative data, smoothly integrating software use and the discussion of the main challenges that readers are likely to encounter. It guides novice researchers to achieve valid and useful outcomes from qualitative analysis, and to ensure they do justice to their data. This second edition features: - Increased coverage of issues about the researcher's relation to their data and ethical implications - An expanded section on preparing for data collection and reflecting on the nature of data. There is also a brand new website, offering: - Live, detailed case studies of qualitative methods in practice, linking to publications and illustrative material. Researchers tell the stories of projects, from design, through what was actually done with the data, to how analysis was achieved and reported; - A software guide with links to information and tutorials in several products.

`I was really floundering until I found Handling Qualitative Data, which is a great practical guide, and I hope it will gain much more recognition so that people in my position will know it is the first place to go for help in a qualitative project... A great book′ - Steve Lowman, Rural Researcher, Aberystwyth University `At the end of each chapter the author maps out the pragmatic steps required to progress a qualitative research study and the associated analysis of data. This is accompanied by experiential exercises, suggested further reading and links to the online tutorial on www.sagepub.co.uk/richards. This latter dimension provides an exciting and innovative aspect to the text and the opportunity for readers to gain something beyond the expected theoretical perspectives.... In summary, an excellent book′ - Nurse Researcher Handling Qualitative Data introduces students and practitioners to qualitative research in a uniquely practical manner. Firstly, it recognizes that for many novice researchers, data, rather than methods and their philosophical underpinnings, are the point of departure. Secondly, it advocates a progressive accumulation of skills and understanding of methodological issues as they are needed. This enables the student to perform efficaciously from the start by immediately being in a position to handle, reflect on and get results from, small amounts of data, giving them a launch pad to more complex endeavours. The book provides pragmatic, informal and succinct assistance in the processes of meeting, sorting, coding, documenting and exploring unstructured records. It smoothly integrates software use into data handling as and when it is necessary, with discussion of challenges. It guides the reader to debates about the nature and interpretation of such data and the goals of valid and useful outcomes from qualitative analysis. This text will assist novice researchers to do justice to such data, whatever their background or opportunities for further methods training. For those who wish to work with the QSR NVivo software on the issues and techniques in the book′s chapters, resource pages featuring tutorials covering each chapter are available by clicking on the companion website logo above.

`In plain language but with very thorough detail, this book guides the researcher who really wants to use the NVivo software (and use it now) into their project. The way is lit with real-project examples, adorned with tricks and tips, but it’s a clear path to a project' - Lyn Richards, Founder and Non-Executive Director, QSR International Doing Qualitative Data Analysis with NVivo is essential reading for anyone thinking of using their computer to help analyze qualitative data. With 15 years experience in computer-assisted analysis of qualitative and mixed-mode data, Patricia Bazeley is one of the leaders in the use and teaching of NVivo software. Through this very practical book, readers are guided on how best to make use of the powerful and flexible tools offered by the latest version of NVivo as they work through each stage of their research projects. Explanations draw on examples from her own and others' projects, and are supported by the methodological literature. Researchers have different requirements and come to their data from different perspectives. This book shows how NVivo software can accommodate and assist analysis across those different perspectives and methodological approaches. It is required reading for both students and experienced researchers alike.

Quality underpins the success (or failure) of any piece of qualitative research. In this book, Uwe Flick takes you through the steps in method and design to ensure quality and reliability throughout the entire research process. Showing hands-on what it means to ′manage′ quality, this book puts the spotlight on practical questions and steps researchers can use to continually interrogate, improve and demonstrate quality in your research.

Using lively examples and friendly tips gleaned from his own and other researchers' experiences, and a warm, reflective writing style, Harry F Wolcott offers readers suggestions for writing up qualitative research.

Are you struggling to get to grips with qualitative data analysis? Do you need help getting started using ATLAS.ti? Do you find software manuals difficult to relate to? Written by a leading expert on ATLAS.ti, this book will guide you step-by-step through using the software to support your research project. In this updated second edition, you will find clear, practical advice on preparing your data, setting up a new project in ATLAS.ti, developing a coding system, asking questions, finding answers and preparing your results. The new edition features: methodological as well as technical advice numerous practical exercises and examples screenshots showing you each stage of analysis in version 7 of ATLAS.ti increased coverage of transcription new sections on analysing video and multimedia data a companion website with online tutorials and data sets. Susanne Friese teaches qualitative methods at the University of Hanover and at various PhD schools, provides training and consultancy for ATLAS.ti at the intersection between developers and users.

This text offers current thinking in the field. The authors are well-established qualitative researchers and have pulled off a great text for the beginning researcher.